Who is Greater between Holmes or Marciano?

Larry Holmes was greater. He held the title longer and defended the title more often about 20 successful defenses. Mr Holmes also fought and beat the better fighters. Not guys who mostly were in their mid 30s.

Not much of a credible arguement can be made for Marciano. He was a more exciting fighter and a bigger puncher but that doesnt total greatness.

Its Holmes by a country mile.

 

-Larry was not greater
-He held the title longer but that means nothing because he ducked his entire division, had he fought in the time of a single title like the rock, he would have taken alot longer to get to the title and would have actually had to fight the best fighters of the 80s, which were actually pretty good when they were on their A game. Buster Douglas was a typical 80s fighter (that larry avoided), he was great for a handful of fights, as in would give even the best fighters of the 70s a run for their money, but then became fat or addicted to drugs and became useless.
-Holmes has no real impressive wins, Shavers nearly knocked him out cold, I list the other near dozen losses of his, there is nothing impressive there
-The rock has only 49 wins, but they are almost all impressive. In fact had the Rock had just 6 fights, its be more impressive than all of Larrys whole career. (Walcott 1 & 2, Ezzard Charles 1 & 2, Joe Louis, Archie Moore). Yes many of these guys were old, but they also all fought their way up the rankings with only 1 single title. This would be equivalent to Larry unifying the 4 or 5 titles and beat another top 1 contender. The only modern fighter who matches this is Mike Tyson and possibly Klitschko( fought weak opposition that would never be considered great) and Lewis (well he beat most of the best fighters of that time although he ducked a few people in their prime). Charles, Moore, and Walcott where still the best boxers around at the time of Marciano. There was no one better for him to fight. Larry had better opponents but chose to duck them. A fighter who ducks no one and beats everyone > fighter who ducks guys and vacates titles to fight medicore competition.
-Holmes got beat up twice by the light heavyweight champion, Michael Spinks, who also beat up cooney. So much for the argument that Marciano would be "too small" to compete in Holmes' era. This would be like Bernard Hopkins beating up both klitschko brothers today. And as good as hopkins is, probably one of the greatest in that division, not even the most delusion hopkins fan would think he'd beat both k2 brothers.
-People say well Larry was past his prime, (yeah because a 40 year old norton wasn't?)
-Marciano credible argument is he beat the 6 best fighters he could have beaten, and KNOCKED THEM ALL OUT. There is nothing humanly possible more a boxer can do than to knock out the best men around. Larry not only did not fight the best men around, he vacated titles to avoid fighting them, refused to unify titles, got beaten by light heavyweights, knocked down by subpar fighters, knocked out by fighters not in the top 10, and really lost quiet a few fights where his opponents were outright robbed like williams and witherspoon and norton.

 

Marciano, he is greater that holmes, sure.

 

:goodbang on.marciano beat what was put in front of him apart from nino valdez but his title challengers were either past it or only light heavies

 

Holmes winning this pole?? Arggg holmes is totally overrated here. He didn t fight nobody. He fought a past prime norton and shavers. Norton gave him hell. Shaver almost koed him. The marciano, s victory above ezzard charles, jersey joe walcott and archie moore are most important that victories holmes.

Holmes lost a light heavyweight spinks. Marciano would have koed this guy. Underrated defense, speed and chin.

 

However this is boxing not weightlifting. Marciano fought greater fighters in Charles, Walcott. Skill/talent wise they far outshined anyone prime Holmes beat.

 

Holmes, and it's not even close. Let me dispel some of the arguments against Holmes. Larry beat 4 FUTURE WORLD CHAMPS, Trevor Berbick, Tim Witherspoon, James "Bonecrusher" Smith, and Mike Weaver. How many did Marciano beat? zilch...only washed up former champs.

And for all those who rant about how Larry avoided the best of his division:

Tubbs lost to Witherspoon whom Holmes already beat
Thomas lost to Berbick whom Holmes already beat
Greg Page lost to David Bey so Holmes fought Bey
Holmes did not lose a fight until he was almost 36
Marciano retired at 32, had he fought until he was 35+ he would have lost to Patterson and Liston in the least

...nuff said

 

holmes. best boxer at heavy weight

 

Yet for some reason, they still insist on those pesky weight divisions.

I am just sure a Virginia tobacco that there are half a dozen sub 190 guys right now who,could grab a heavy strap.

 

Berbick, Weaver, Smith and Witherspoon were never the true hwt champion. all were just contenders who won paper titles that were a dime a dozen.

Weight is important in lighter divisions. Hwts much less important.

 

So, using that logic, who then is the paper champ between Vitali and Wlad?

 

Agreed.

Holmes lost to witherspoon. Larry ducked all the top guys so he could fight for longer bum fighting. There is only one champ, and sadly it was never larry

Actually they had the title Ali had, Holmes touched that title so it is he who is not the true champ because he never won the title ali held.

 

Wrong. Holmes beat universal no 1 contender Norton and then beat Ali himself. There is no controversy today who was the true champion...it was Holmes. The paper title from Tate to Weaver to Dokes and so forth is a complete sham.

The belt Weaver won he got be beating John Tate. John Tate won the paper title in a tournament void of any of the top contenders for the title. Instead it included a bunch of nobodies...contenders listed as that boxing commissions top challengers. Typical for the time when each ...WBA, WBC, ibf listed their own top 10s ignoring most of the fighters on the others top 10s. Just a mess and this is why to this day boxing as a sport is ruined.

Holmes was the worlds hwt champion until he lost that title to spinks who then lost it to Tyson.

 

Other than his unbeaten record, no way in hell can you justify Marciano being greater than Holmes......at all.

 

In what way as a boxer holmes as a boxing figure rocky